Taxi driver stiffed out of $1500 after 22-hour ride across five states

Charlene Sakoda

A cab driver has learned a costly lesson after agreeing to transport a man from Sacramento, California to Mandan, North Dakota. As reported by KOVR CBS 13, a taxi driver, Enaytayullah Hoseny, met 25-year-old Matthew Blackhanson at the Sacramento Greyhound station. After first giving a false destination, Blackhanson hopped in the cab and asked if Hoseny knew where North Dakota was. He didn’t, but punched it into his GPS and found out that it would take 22-hours and 15-minutes to get to Mandan.

Blackhanson worked out a deal with Hoseny, a father of four who really needed the extra money this voyage would bring in. “A price came out of my mouth like $1200,” said Hoseny. The experienced cabbie was actually giving the passenger a deal for the 1500 mile trip, because the actual meter cost would have been $4800. Blackhanson jumped on the offer and paid Hoseny $240 before leaving, and promised to pay him $1500, more than the asking price, once he got to North Dakota. A handwritten “contract” was even drafted in which Mr. Blackhanson agreed to, as Hoseny said, “I will pay that money over there, guaranteed.”

The cab traveled through five states before eventually making it to North Dakota. Once there, Blackhanson’s fiancée was supposed to arrive with the $1500 to pay the driver, but she never showed up. Hoseny realized that he had been scammed. The victim recounted, “[Blackhanson] started crying, ‘Oh please don’t call the cops. I will be in trouble. I want to see my fiancée,’ and this and that.” The pleas didn’t work and Hoseny called the police who told him that Blackhanson was wanted on an outstanding warrant.

Stuck in North Dakota, Hoseny said he was forced to spend the night in a homeless shelter. He headed back to the gas station where Blackhanson bilked him. While there, he received help and was given cash, food and was allowed to fill up his taxi, so he could head back to Sacramento. Hoseny learned his lesson and said, “I tell all the drivers, any taxi drivers in the world, do not do this. This is so crazy and risky and even stupid.”

Video and more info: KOVR